Crime victim gets help in his search for justice

April 07, 2003|By Michael Jones

Last June was no different - until Ross pulled his pickup into the driveway of the cottage and saw every window had been smashed and furniture and household items scattered about the yard. "I drove into the yard and saw the broken windows and holes in the walls - which I later found out had been done with an ax - and just backed right up and went to the Michigan State Police to report it," Ross recalled of the extreme vandalism and larceny done to his northern Michigan home.

"It was a shocker. Anything they didn't want they destroyed," Ross said of the eight young adults - four men and four women between the ages of 14 and 18 who were responsible for destroying not just Fred and his wife Shirley's home, but their peace of mind and sense of security.

What made the situation even worse for Ross was the fact the teens involved in the crime also were from Reese. They had been staying at a cottage across the street from his. "One of the kids was the grandson of one of my best friends when he was alive and I guess they got in some trouble with the police downstate and thought my son had something to do with them getting in trouble. They came up here with the intent of doing some damage and stealing whatever they wanted."

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The destruction to Ross' cottage was unlike anything anyone had seen. When the vandalism and stolen items were totaled up, it came to more than $95,000.

Ross said two of his three-wheelers had been driven into a nearby pond and a third was stolen and never recovered. A nail gun was used to destroy the outside of his son's travel trailer, causing several thousand dollars in damages. Holes were hammered into drywall; kitchen cupboards torn from walls; appliances smashed and broken; graffiti spray painted everywhere. The contents of the home were destroyed.

Michigan State Police (MSP) Det. Kevin Day, who investigated the case, said the destruction was unbelievable. "It was an extreme case of vandalism with no apparent reason. I'm just glad they left enough clues behind for us to find them."

Ross was more than happy with the efficient way the Gaylord MSP handled the case. With assistance of the Caro MSP post, investigators quickly apprehended the suspects and brought them to justice. He was equally pleased with the help and assistance he and his wife received from Otsego County Victims' Rights Advocate Cathy Baragrey.

About a week after the vandalism Ross contacted Baragrey, who helps victims of crime by working to see they are made aware of their rights and provides services to help them implement those rights. "Everybody here in Otsego County, from Kevin Day, to Cathy, the judges and the prosecutor's office, did a great job. I don't know how Shirley and I would have made it through this without their help."

Sitting through a combined 23 court appearances of the accused in Otsego, Tuscola and Bay counties, in Ross' words, was "a hassle. I would not plea bargain; I wanted to see that they got what they deserved. Without Cathy's help we just wouldn't know what we could do. Cathy kept right on top of everything. She let us know what our rights were. I don't think we would have followed through with going to court and seeing it through to the end.

"It's nice to know that there are people who are on your side," continued Ross. "My advice to people is to talk to the victims' rights advocate in their county if they are a victim of a crime."

Seven of the eight individuals responsible for the vandalism at Ross' cottage were ordered to pay him and his wife $95,000 in restitution for their acts of destruction.

For Ross, justice was served. Now he wants to finish the remaining repairs to his cottage and begin to enjoy making the trip north to his home away from home once again.